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I own a 2002 Skoda Elegance 1.8 (petrol) turbo 4x4 Estate with which I am very satisfied. Recently, an irregular and highly irritating fault has manifested itself whereby the vehicle has developed an inclination to stall within 300 metres of being started from cold. This intermittent problem has worsened and the vehicle may stall 4 times in a single mile and can be extremely reluctant to restart. The memory log codes suggest an earthing issue but this has evaded my excellent local garage, which, in desperation, has changed the temperature sender, but this action seemed only to exacerbate the problem. The car has spent a long spell since with the main dealer who has changed also the plugs and the fuel filter for good measure. The main dealer has adopted and maintains a positive attitude but still the problem cannot be traced! They are looking to change the ECU, which is described as a very expensive component - and non-returnable, of course.
Do you have any ideas, please?

Asked on 4 April 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
I suggested that this sort of problem is usually caused by the mass airflow meter or the fuel tank sender pump, its relay, or a bad earth to the sender pump or its relay, and that’s what it turned out to be. Any independent VAG specialist would know this straight away, so it bothers me that the need for an expensive replacement ECU was prescribed.
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